Jesus was referring to a long period ahead in Luke 21:24 when He spoke of the times of the Gentiles.

.....................He spoke of events, far into the future, of many sorrows that would come upon the world.

There would be "wars and rumors of wars. . . .Nation shall rise against nation. . . . and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes, in diverse places." Matthew 24:6-7